Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Spirit of the Lord that came down at Pentecost is the same Spirit, Paul tells us, that gives us each individual gifts. There are different kinds of gifts and different kinds of service, but the same Lord works in all of them. A young man was injured very severely in Vietnam, and on his way home there was a layover in San Francisco. He called his parents, long distance, and said, very hesitantly, "Mom, Dad, I have a friend I want to bring home with me." There was a long silence, and his parents said: "Well, that's fine, son ... Who is it?" Again, cautiously, he said, "It's a buddy of mine who was wounded pretty badly in 'Nam. He's been hurt worse than he's let anyone at home know. He's lost an eye, and he's lost his leg and part of his right arm." There was a long silence on the other end. Then a muffled discussion by his parents, and finally, his dad said: "Well, son, it's all right to bring him here for a few days, but what if he wants to stay longer? Don't get yourself tied up with somebody like this. Think about how hard it will be for him to fit in. He'll probably never be able to work again, and he'll always be a burden on somebody. Just make it real clear that we can't have him here permanently." Early the next morning, these parents received word that their son had committed suicide. He had been wounded more seriously than he had ever told them. It was he who had lost an eye, and his leg and part of his right arm. You see, part of the tragedy here is that if his parents had only known, they would have welcomed him back with open arms. Someone you love is never a burden. There are different kinds of gifts and different kinds of service, but we all speak a language that comes from one Lord: the language of love.
-- Owen-Gemoets